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Guidelines for CPSR Chapters and Working Groups

What Does CPSR Do?

CPSR provides a discussion and project
space where individuals can contribute to the public debate and design
of our global digital future. Through CPSR's chapters and working
groups, members focus on regional and civic issues developing the
public voice. To insure a democratic future in a time of intense
globalization, the voice of the public must command a prominent
position on the world stage. CPSR frames and channels the public
voice.

By working through an organization like CPSR, rather than alone, you
are able to join a community of like-minded people who have built and
accumulated resources -- both administrative and intellectual -- to
help achieve your goal. CPSR can provide access to media and public
relations outlets, worldwide distribution systems for your work, a
large body of expertise among fellow CPSR members and sister
organizations, help with organizing events and can put you in touch
with many other resources. By relying on CPSR's 20+ years of
experience, you can focus on your area of interest without the
distractions of developing these resources for yourself.

To facilitate the collaborative work, CPSR members can self-organize
into formal groups approved by the CPSR Board. Groups based on
geographical regions (countries, states, provinces, cities) are
referred to as "Chapters".
Groups based on issues or events are called "Working
Groups". These guidelines apply to both.

Chapters may be based on a specific location and related to the
activities of a single geographical area. Working Groups may be
long-lived and devoted to a theme (e.g. civil liberties) or short-lived
and based upon a single event (e.g. a workshop or writing an op-ed).
Chapters and Working Groups can be 'virtual' with members rarely, if
ever, meeting face-to-face. Chapters and Working Groups may have value
simply by having a presence and contact on the CPSR website, acting as
constituencies of experts who can share their expertise with other
members, the public, and the press. Geographically close members
sometimes meet for coffee, a meal, or dessert for face-to-face contact
that fits into otherwise busy lives.

What is a CPSR Member?

A CPSR member is someone who either has a life membership or is
current with his or her CPSR dues. This makes them eligible to vote in
CPSR elections, identify themselves as CPSR members, and participate in
transactions with outside entities on behalf of CPSR and serve as
officers of CPSR chapters and working groups. While many of the
activities sponsored by CPSR are attended and even organized with the
help of non-members, voting members and officers of all CPSR chapters
or working groups must be official, dues-paying CPSR members.
Non-members, who have been invited and approved by the group, may
participate in working groups and chapters at the pleasure of the
group. Non-members cannot vote in either group or CPSR elections and
cannot serve as an officer of a working group or chapter. We strongly
urge all participants to become CPSR members
within three months so they can enjoy the full range of member
privileges.

How CPSR Members Work Together

CPSR members further the mission of CPSR - providing the public and
policymakers with realistic assessments of the power, promise, and
problems of information technology - by sharing their views through
email discussion lists; having a presence and contact information on
CPSR's website; reporting in the CPSR membership publications; and
getting together socially; hosting speakers, debates, talks,
conferences; writing statements, testimonies, FAQs, and other
documents. The formation of chapters and working groups provides
members with the organizational framework to turn ideas and concerns
into effective activism. This way members can work with relative
autonomy while coordinating with the CPSR staff and Board, other
members, and related organizations. . For more examples of member
activities, see the Activists
Handbook.

Why Do We Need Guidelines?

These guidelines define the relationship between a self-organized
group of members and the central organization. They provide the
structure necessary to insure consistency and coherence throughout the
organization, while supporting the autonomy and creativity of the
group.

With consistent and regular reporting mechanisms, CPSR groups will
be highly visible to the rest of the organization and to the public,
improving their ability to attract new members and attention to their
work. By standardizing the way we do things, we will make it easier for
members and the public to locate areas of interest and opportunities to
participate.

The CPSR organizational structure is evolving. We encourage feedback
and suggestions as to how to best strike a balance between a coherent
CPSR image and maximum flexibility for member activities.

We realize it is difficult for leaders
of working groups and chapters to monitor who is and isn't a current
CPSR member. The central office (cpsr(a)cpsr.org) can quickly verify
member status when needed.

How to Create a Chapter or Working Group

Note: Different countries have various legalities with regard to
creating non-governmental organizations. Legal incorporation may
require extra steps, not listed here. We will have to research these on
a case-by-case basis to determine the appropriate methods of creating
chapters outside the U.S. and provide the maximum ability to function
within the chapter's national requirements.

First determine whether your idea might fit within an existing
group. Check out the established Working
Groups and Chapters .
You can solicit initial feedback from the CPSR board by writing to
cpsr-board(a)lists.cpsr.org. Include a brief description of your idea
as text within the e-mail message. Board members might suggest your
idea fits well within an already existing Chapter or Working Group, and
can advise you about its "fit" with the overall CPSR mission.

If approved you can announce your idea to the
cpsr-activists(a)lists.cpsr.org to find more members interested in
joining the new Chapter or Working Group and solicit feedback.

We will announce your intentions in the Compiler for further member
interest.

Read through the Petition for Chapter/Working Group Formation at http://archive.cpsr.net/chapters/chapform.html.
Develop a statement of the group's purpose and what it sees as its end
product: simply discussion, a single final report, annual reports? Does
the group wish to be set up as a continuing or task-based organization?
If the former, why? If the latter, what is the anticipated duration
and, again, what are the interim/final products of the group.

This is a good time to begin to line up others who would support
the proposed Chapter or Working Group. At least five members are
required to start a new Chapter or Working Group. For assistance, write
to cpsr(a)cpsr.org to ask for help in finding additional interest
within the membership.

Work with the other interested members to complete a Petition for
Chapter/Working Group Formation. If the Chapter or Working Group is
based upon an event or product, also include a timeline with reasonable
deadline date for CPSR approval, and the major milestones (with dates)
of the project. When thinking through your idea, match it to the goals
and mission of CPSR, and outline objectives and intended activities to
make a case for its approval.

E-mail your completed petition as a PDF to
cpsr-board(a)lists.cpsr.org, or fax to 650-322-4748.

If the Board of Directors does not give immediate approval but sees
value in the idea, you will be given suggestions and encouraged to
re-submit the proposal.

What CPSR Will Provide Each Group

A board member will be designated as the liaison. The Chapter or
Working Group should keep the liaison and the CPSR staff informed of
its upcoming activities.

CPSR staff can provide CPSR materials for events, and can help
organize and promote a group's activities.

We have global contacts for hundreds of government
officials/agencies, organizations related to CPSR's interests, colleges
and universities, and the media to help a group's efforts reach a wide
audience.

Every group will have web hosting.

Every group will be provided a discussion list for its members on
the CPSR e-mail server. This list can be used as a portion of a larger,
non-CPSR list which includes non-members. However, the chapter or
working group must grant permission for any use of this list for
non-CPSR purposes.

Additional CPSR members can join by contacting your Chapter or
Working Group and having their membership verified by the CPSR staff.
CPSR can help contact other local members for chapter activities.

Each CPSR Chapter or Working Group shares the name recognition and
reputation of the vast body of good work done by all CPSR members in
its 23 year history.

What CPSR Needs From Each Group

Regular Communication: The CPSR board needs to know what's
going on in the Chapters & Working Groups. Chapters & Working
Groups should communicate with the Staff, other members, CPSR groups,
and with the CPSR Board as much as possible to continually
include/recruit/inform other CPSR members, and reduce duplication of
effort.

The CPSR Board is ultimately responsible for anything that goes
wrong in chapters and working groups, such as harassment, suits based
on ethnic exclusions, etc. Therefore, we ask that all groups follow the
guidelines set forth in the CPSR Electronic
Communication Policy.

Clearly Understood Financial Arrangements: The CPSR office
must be included in financial issues. This is because CPSR is legally
responsible for CPSR funds. Funding for Chapter or Working Group
activities must be pre-approved for reimbursement. Please do not commit
payment for services before receiving approval from the CPSR Office.
Methods for requesting funds are detailed below.

Projects That Fall Within CPSR's Mission: Chapters and
Working Groups must work within the bounds of CPSR's Mission,Program, and By-Laws to insure that CPSR's
name and activities remain true.

Chapters & Working Groups must be careful to preserve CPSR's
tax-exempt status (CPSR is incorporated in California and must follow
California and U.S. laws concerning public charities) and are
encouraged to contact the CPSR Staff or the Membership Committee Chair
with any questions about projects being considered by the chapter. Our
tax exempt status allows U.S. taxpayers to give money to CPSR and
deduct it from their taxable income. In the U.S. this status excuses
CPSR from paying taxes and is considered a privilege. To keep it we
must refrain from committing a large portion of our income to lobbying
U.S. governments, and must meet other requirements. The implications of
this status vary outside the U.S. and will need to be examined on a
case-by-case basis.

Record Keeping: The electronic discussions of CPSR constitute
our core business activities. Consequently, digital archives of
discussions on official CPSR lists will be maintained. All financial
records should be submitted to the central office regularly.

CPSR Guideline Checklist

Represent CPSR in a professional and ethical manner in keeping with
the CPSR image, mission statement, tax-exempt status, privacy and
personnel policies

Create and maintain a website hosted by CPSR that contains contact
information for the Chapter or Working Group and provides information
about the Chapter or Working Group's activities and events

Use CPSR's name with their work

Provide reports for the CPSR membership publications

Organizational development such as seeking new members and
fundraising

Contact members of the group at least quarterly

Share membership and donation information with CPSR

Share concerns and projects with CPSR

Stay up-to-date about CPSR

Maintain and submit financial records

How Groups Identify Their Positions To the Public

Chapters & Working Groups can publish position papers and make
statements independently as long as they're clear that it is being done
in the name of the Chapter or Working Group, itself, rather than
representing an official position of CPSR. (For example, "CPSR/Privacy,
a working group of Computer Professionals for Social
Responsibility")

Positions must be approved by a group in a democratic fashion.
Whether through voting, consensus building, approval by default, etc.,
group members must have the opportunity to review and comment on a
position before it is made public.

Statements or actions in the name of the CPSR organization must - by
law and practice - be approved by the CPSR Board. Some activities -
like lobbying - must be kept within strict guidelines as explained
above.

How Groups Keep the CPSR Board of Directors Informed

CPSR group leaders are asked to submit formal reports to the CPSR
Board of Directors just prior to each Board Meeting, (3 times a year) -
more frequently if requested by the Board.

Dissolution of a Chapter/Working Group

Just as we hope to enable groups to form easily to meet the
ever-growing number of issues and computer users, we need to let groups
that have fulfilled their usefulness, pass away. Inactive groups are a
drain on CPSR's limited resources, and misleading to new members.

If a Chapter or Working Group is inactive for more than six months -
reporting requirements are unmet, inquiries are not answered - the CPSR
Board can ask for new Chapter or Working Group leadership. No group
will be disbanded without a strenuous effort to gather feedback and to
take all steps possible to preserve the group.

Should a group refuse compliance or cooperation, it may be
operated/disbanded by the Board.

A Chapter or Working Group can separate from CPSR and become
independent with at least 30 days prior notice to the Board of
Directors. Notification of this change to any grant-makers is the
responsibility of the Chapter or Working Group leaders. The CPSR Board
of Directors can withhold any previously committed CPSR funding at that
time.

Upon dissolution all CPSR records and funds must be returned to the
CPSR office.

How CPSR Can Help With Funding

CPSR is very aware that money is needed in addition to the energy of
our members. However, our ability to stretch our resources across our
many worldwide projects is limited. Please remember that CPSR has
limited resources and that the needs of many Chapters & Working
Groups must be taken into account.

A Chapter or Working Group can raise money through donations, fees
for events, corporate sponsorships, grants, or by requesting funds from
CPSR. We strongly encourage Chapters & Working Groups to fundraise
for events to supplement CPSR funding. See How to Fund a CPSR Event for
more ideas. Also, due to the sometimes-high cost of transferring funds
outside the U.S., every effort must be made to accommodate funding
requests while minimizing fees.

Requests Under $100

Requests of $100 or less can be handled by the Managing Director.
Some examples of expenses that could be funded are refreshments for
get-togethers, printing, space, audio/visual rental, gas money and
economy travel to speak or meet with other Chapter or Working Group
members. Expenses must be kept as low as possible.

Requests Between $100 and $500

We ask that you submit a proposed budget to the Membership Committee
for review. Requests should be made before any commitments (financial
or otherwise) are made. After the funds have been used, the Chapter or
Working Group must account for the money spent and submit a short
report on the activity.

Requests Over $500

Projects over $500 will require outside funding efforts such as
grant proposal writing, corporate solicitation, or fundraising events.
These will require more intense review and be considered on a
case-by-case basis. CPSR can assist with large fundraising efforts
through grant-writing support, conference-planning guidelines, and
other resources. The office is also available to help with online
registration, publicity, and mailings.

Financial Reporting

Because CPSR is ultimately responsible for reporting all income and
expenses on our annual taxes, the central office must be kept informed
about money raised and spent. This is extremely important. We ask that
the Chapter or Working Group send a monthly report of the project's
finances for as long as the project takes. Inadequate reporting could
result in the dissolution of the Chapter or Working Group or the
removal of the leader. The CPSR Board of Directors retains final
oversight authority of the Chapter or Working Group finances.

Possible Chapter or Working Group Leadership

(at least one leader is required, all
leaders must be CPSR members in good standing, and the responsibilites
of every position need to be met)

It is critically important that when leadership is passed on to
another, CPSR is notified and all CPSR records are passed along as
well.

Chair

The Chair acts in the name of the Chapter or Working Group and is
responsible for communicating with the Membership Committee chair and
CPSR staff about projects being considered/undertaken by the Chapter or
Working Group. This is particularly true for any project that meets the
following criteria:

financed entirely or in part by funds from CPSR, or

makes use of resources of CPSR, e.g. mailing lists or non-trivial
office services, or

includes publications issued in the name of CPSR, including press
releases.

Any project that meets one or more of these criteria must be
approved by the Board of Directors, and must have a designated chair
from the Chapter or Working Group (who may or may not be the Chapter
Chair) authorized by the Chapter or Working Group to make decisions in
consultation with the Managing Director. Ultimately, the Chair has the
responsibility for making sure that any Chapter or Working Group
activity that needs CPSR consideration is brought to the attention of
the Board of Directors.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for the following duties:

Maintaining the Chapter or Working Group membership database. When
new member information and/or dues come to the attention of the Chapter
or Working Group, it must be sent to CPSR. As needed, the communities
can ask the CPSR Staff for up-to-date information about their members.
Be aware that members join and lapse daily. Only the central CPSR
membership database is always up-to-date. CPSR does not share its
membership information with other organizations or CPSR Chapters &
Working Groups.

Sending periodic mailings, at least two per year, to Chapter or
Working Group members and CPSR Staff to announce Chapter or Working
Group meetings as well as other issues which the Chapter or Working
Group deems important.

Acting as liaison between the Chapter or Working Group and CPSR,
with reports submitted before each of the three board meetings.

Reporting of Chapter or Working Group meetings to be submitted to
CPSR

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for keeping records of any financial
transactions. In most cases, where Chapters & Working Groups will
have minimal financial transactions over the year, Chapters &
Working Groups SHOULD NOT open bank accounts. Instead, Chapter or
Working Group monies can be tracked, reported, and dispersed through
the CPSR Office.

In rare cases when CPSR agrees that a separate Chapter or Working
Group bank account is needed, the Treasurer is responsible for:

opening and maintaining a Chapter or Working Group bank
account;

collecting and disbursing funds;

keeping accurate financial records for the Chapter or Working
Group;

filing yearly financial reports with CPSR.

Ongoing responsibilities include protecting CPSR's tax-exempt status
by watching over activities to be sure that they do not violate any IRS
(Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. tax agency) requirements, and
alerting CPSR of changes in applicable tax laws, insofar as the could
affect CPSR.

Contact

The Contact is listed on the CPSR website and in other publications,
to answer inquiries about CPSR and the Chapter or Working Group. This
person should be knowledgeable about aspects of CPSR that would be of
interest to a prospective member or funder, and should be able to
communicate this knowledge well when contacted. He or she should also
send out informational materials on request. The position of Contact
may be filled by a chapter officer or by any Chapter or Working Group
member who is qualified.